The following appeared in the April 9, 2004 editions of The Dallas Morning News

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He may be the all the rage in European soccer, and he may amount to handy tabloid fodder, but to Sam Alcala's family back here in little ol' Dallas, David Beckham is just "little Davey."

That's what Beckham preferred to be called 15 years ago, when the world's most recognized soccer player was just 13 and played in the Dallas Cup for the Essex Schools team.

Beckham doesn't name the Alcala family in his 2003 autobiography, but does write about the Dallas Cup. He mentions things such as staying with a Mexican family and riding in a pickup each day to McDonald's for breakfast.

Alcala is a plumber in Dallas. His son, Mike, played for the Comets, who were hosting boys from the Essex Schools team.

Sam dropped off his son at Jesuit High School each day that week, then drove little Davey to McDonald's in his work truck.

"We read that in the book, and we said, 'Hey, that's us.' It has to be us," Alcala said. "There can't be too many Hispanic families who took him back and forth in a white truck."

Beckham, famously married to Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams, plays for Real Madrid now. His summer transfer from Manchester United was one of world soccer's most celebrated stories in 2003.

One of Beckham's teammates at the Dallas Cup, who also was being housed with the Alcala family, got homesick that week. He moved to the hotel with coaches and team administrators. Beckham, however, was getting on famously and remained with the family.

The stylish star may be a cover boy and multi-millionaire today, but Alcala remembers a polite young man.

Ironically, Beckham didn't make the starting 11 that week. He was a bit younger than most players on the team.

"He was just a quiet, polite kid," Alcala said. "He enjoyed all the boys in the neighborhood. He was just a kid excited to be in America and experiencing the Dallas Cup."

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